This is my version of Izzet (RedBlue) Spellheart Chimera (SHC) focused deck. I wanted to construct this deck once I saw this creature, but was too lazy to do it, until I saw TheMagicManSam's brew on YouTube. However, I wanted to focus more on Spellheart Chimera and less on his alternate (albeit arguably just as strong) win conditions he used in Young Pyromancer & Guttersnipe. Instead, I felt that focusing more on SHC would allow me to defend the combo easier with counterspells.
DECK BASIS:
-Have enough burn in deck to outright deplete opponent's starting life total:
36+ dmg from spells; CHECK!
-Have a super bomby creature based on instants & sorceries:
4 Spellheart Chimeras are the only creatures; CHECK!
-Have a focused engine to put instants and sorceries (none in main deck) into the graveyard to fuel SHC:
4 Steam Augury and 4 Taigam's Scheming; CHECK!
-Have a bevy of counterspells to deal with major threats & to keep my one key creature combo death dealing machine in play:
10 counterspells; CHECK!
FEATURES
Most of this deck is pretty self explanatory, but I'll outline some key things.
Steam Augury is just about the most perfect engine card for this deck.
1) It almost always gives you card advantage when you make a pile of 2 & 3, but it's possible to make a stack of 1 & 4, or a stack of 0 & 5 card. NOTE: there are occasionally opportunities that allows you to force your opponent to give you 5 cards, else they die to your SHC during your next attack. Keep your eye out for these situations.
2) It digs very deep into your library to see your next cards.
3) It costs a very reasonable 4 CMC.
4) Last but not least, it nearly always fuels your chimera by 2 or more, as it frequently puts additional instants into your graveyard (as well as putting itself into the graveyard). It's not that uncommon to pump your spell chimera 3-4 points.
Taigam's Scheming fits a similar role to Steam Augury, while also giving you versatile toolkit of either burn or pseudo Mana Leak-like counter non-creature spells. One difference is when you cycle it, it becomes slight card disadvantage for oneself.
I found Disperse to be a great bounce spell for this deck as it can bounce any non-land permanent such as enchantments, artifacts, plainswalkers, as well as creatures of course. This can be used in conjunction with counterspells to send that pesky or bomby card to the graveyard. The bounce effect is particularly potent if you have Essence Backlash in hand. In addition, Disperse can help combat the Hexproof deck. Although, you can't bounce the hexproof creature, you might be able to bounce a key augmentation (aura enchantment, equipment), which allows you to attack into or block the hexproof creature to kill it. I originally started with Voyage's End, but since the deck recently added additional scrye effects from Temple of Epiphany, I felt the extra versatility was worth adding in over the additional scrye. There have been more than one time when disperse's broader target range has been relevant. I could arguably see the potential in having a mix of Disperse & Voyage's End however.
Other than direct burn damage, SHC is your combo end result that can close out games very abruptly. With only 4 total creatures, it's very important to protect the SHC. With this in mind, I almost never cast him out until I have enough mana to protect him with a counter or bounce spell, usually turn 5. There are fringe cases when you will cast him out earlier on turn 3 or 4, such as if you have multiples in hand, or opponent is mana deprived, of you are stuck on mana, then i'd start entertaining the idea of casting SHC on turn 3 or 4. Additionally, you almost never want to have more than one in play. It is imperative to avoid blow outs by mass removal such as Bile Blight, Supreme Verdict, Anger of the Gods, Mizzium Mortars, and any other similar effects. I've made this mistake more than once. If you have one in play & some number of them in hand, then just hold onto the rest in hand. Unless you are holding a lot of counterspells, and the opponent is not playing WU so cannot possibly play supreme verdict, then you should rarely if ever have more than one of these creatures in play.
Now this deck is very vulnerable two things in particular.
1) Hand disruption by cards such as Thoughtseize & Brain Maggot is very annoying.
2) Graveyard hate cards can effectively neuter the SHC. Thankfully the assortment of counterspells should hopefully be able to prevent them from resolving. Even if one gets past your counterspells, you still potentially have enough burn to defeat your opponent.
SIDEBOARD EXPLANATIONS
-Anger of the Gods are various potential board wipes for various conditions.
-Anger of the Gods & Homing Lightning to answer creature tokens.
-Anger of the Gods when exile is needed to deal pesky creatures like Voice of Resurgence.
-Swan Song: provides the ability to battle hand disruption spells such as Thoughtseize & Brain Maggot by counterspelling them at 1 CMC. Any 2/2 flyer creatures given by the spell can be destroyed by board wipe spells like Anger of the Gods, or just eaten by SHC as it has trample and 3 toughness.
-A myriad of counterspell sideboard choices for various situations.
CARDS ON THE IDEA BUBBLE
-Spite of Mogis: potential to kill very large X toughness creatures
-Voyage's End: If the scrye turns out to be worth more than bouncing other non-creature permanents with Disperse
-Magma Spray: might be more useful against aggro decks
